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Two scholars from Laval University (Quebec) present their research findings to UNESCO

Clermont Gauthier, a well-known researcher and Anthony Cerqua, a PhD candidate, presented their work during a seminar organized by the Task Force on pedagogy and its implications for teacher training on 24th September 2013.

At first, they shared the initial findings of a study on the pedagogical foundations of international organizations’ policy with regards to teachers. With UNESCO, the World Bank and OECD as their target institutions, the researchers reported on what the review of UNESCO programs has revealed. The organization – for the researchers – seems to have no clear position on pedagogical approaches that underlies its work in Member States. The discussions raised the following question: “Should the role of an organization like UNESCO be to recommend a pedagogical approach at all? Or is this choice the prerogative of each sovereign country?”. We believe this debate deserves a follow up interaction with various experts from the organization, namely from the International Bureau for Education (IBE) and other external stakeholders.

The second part of the presentation described the newly published book entitled Enseignement explicite et réussite des élèves. La gestion des apprentissages. Professor Gauthier, one of the authors, outlined what he called the ‘explicit teaching’ method where teachers use a holistic model of strategies that explicitly structures their teaching and their students’ learning and make it clear to them what and how they are learning.

Here too, the debate remains open: At first sight, the “explicit teaching methods” seem to run counter-current with the tendency to give preference to learner-centered approaches and exploratory modes of teaching/learning. The speaker contested this dichotomy and explained that explicit teaching also heavily engages the learners. We invite you to read the book and send us comments on your own experiences on the topic.